Just received this PM:
The IHL pilot you mentioned instructing the Anglo Irish Meats pilot was Colin Sayers who came to Ireland initially to instruct Brendan O'Mahoney on his Enstrom. Colin had originally flown with BEAS having left the British Army. Colin also used also to fly EI-BFK for Vincent O'Brien.
Yes, quite right, Colin Sayers .. now I remember. And you are right too about Brendan's Enstrom which he had before buying ex-Ferranti 206 G-BAKX. After buying KX, which became EI-BHI, my godfather would 'ride shotgun' with Brendan much of the time - indeed Brendan was his 'other' client besides Vincent and it was in Brendan's bird that we had the incident with the smoking Sperry AH resulting in a battle with IH and Brendan moving his maintenance to SRS at Shannon.
Of Vincent, what a pleasant man. A quiet man. I would often happen upon him walking the gallops at Ballydoyle with his two black Labradors and which exercise he used to perform almost daily. Many-a-time I accompanied him for walks from the main house down to Ballydoyle's airstrip and back. As a young lad there really wasn't much to do living on a secure estate with no other kids around.
It was during those months over the summer holidays and on term breaks that I fell in love with horses and which passion I have maintained to this day.
Also, never once did I see him fly without carrying a small paper bag containing a selction of chocolate bars from which I was offered to take my pick and which generosity used to peeve the Colonel (who also had a sweet tooth and would therefore feign resentment at not being uninvited to pick from 'the bag'). Needless to say, I always shared my treat with the Colonel.
In compensation perhaps, whenever Vincent dismounted the craft upon arrival at a race he always handed my godfather a list of three or four horses and which were his predictions for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. If he was uncertain about a specific prediction he would write another horse next to it and place a question mark after it. I don't think my godfather ever lost a bet!
The late great Vincent O'Brien at the Ballydoyle Stables in Co. Tipperary